NST July 2020: The Turtles go Jousting

crazy_cat_lady

Hey everyone
I'm pleased to see that I'm doing a few of the 'happier life' things - would encourage people also to lose toxic people from their lives. It's hard to see the effect that those people have on you until they aren't there any more.
I'm having a mad busy day where I haven't stopped but am not really making much progress. It's 2pm and I feel like I've done nothing. Not quite true - I've done the rubbish and recycling, been to ds school to pick up his leavers hoodie, sorted out some decorating stuff and read a bit online as dd is determined that she is going to decorate her bedroom at some point very soon.
Rang the travel agents about my impending holiday but we're still no further forward with that. I really need the government to get on and decide what they're going to do in terms of quarantine and FCO advice as I only have 2 days left to change my dates to next year (hoping it will be cancelled and I can have a refund - that's why I'm hanging on)
Sorted through food and have planned ahead with the intent of getting back on track diet wise - I was doing so well but got into a rut a little, and have now just finished my school work for the day.
My gratitudes are: dd deciding that she's more than happy to muck in with the jobs I don't like doing - much more pleasant working on these as a partnership.
School email system being down so my working day cut a bit short unexpectedly
Being able to work in a tshirt and joggers.
The weather cheering up from yesterday so hopefully I'll get a dry walk this evening.

F0xh0les - I cannot imagine what your local paper is like I was reading a story on fakeb00k yesterday about a s e x festival being cancelled due to lack of social distancing. Wonder if that was in Le Shire
SSDD23 - pleased that the kitten has hung onto the cone of shame. I use little romper suits with my cats rather than the cone - although one of the cats hilariously just rolls over and plays dead whenever you put one on her.

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 1

Went for another walk today. By myself as Himself wasn't really up for it. I must admit that concerns me slightly but maybe tomorrow. So another couples of miles to investigate another small row of shops. Another really nice looking butcher, a fruit shop and several convenience stores plus a chemist and post office. All of them with the appropriate regulations in place. Mandatory wearing of masks in shops coming into force here from the end of next week. It makes sense really.

Whilst I was out I couldn't believe how long all the common areas of grass are. Not to mention some of the gardens. I suspect that these belong to pensioners or disabled people who aren't able to do it and obviously the local authority hasn't been able to do it at the moment either. It's going to take a long time before they can get that under control again. 

CCL - Hope you get your holiday sorted out. We have one booked in England in October. The balance has to be paid at the end of this month. We hope that it will work out but so many things are uncertain at the moment that it's a bit of a quandary on what to do.

It's muggy here again so trying to decide what to have for tea. Day 2 of July and no meal plan. Lots of choice though so I'm sure we'll manage something.

DawnW

CCL, little romper suits for cats sounds too cute. Really need some photos!  

[Deleted User]

DawnW said:

CCL, little romper suits for cats sounds too cute. Really need some photos!  

I agree!

mothernerd

DawnW said:

Just a thought Mothernerd, but could you continue to sell your crafted items, even though you won't be able to claim tax credits? It would be better than nothing, and would top up your carer's allowance and be a bit extra. You can still be self employed / do self assessment without all the tax credit fiasco, which almost seems to cause as many problems as it solves. I have been p/t self employed for years, even while I was still working FT. Now I just do a few hours self employed. I only earn a little, but it adds a bit extra to my pension, all above board with HMRC etc. I guess it would have an impact with regard to your state pension entitlement if you don't pay NICS, which you don't have to if you earn less than a given amount, but I don't suppose you are paying it at the moment anyway? Hope you don't think I am speaking out of turn, but that is what I would do / have done.

Thanks DawnW  but I've been struggling for the past few years. I had to give up using coloured background material a couple of years ago (2017 - 2018) as it hurt my eyes too much and the arthritis in my right shoulder has added lots of challenges. As a rough comparison, I continued to produce work during the convalescence period after my hip replacement (and during the resting/physiotherapy period before it was diagnosed). When I was having trouble sleeping I could work through the night for 12 or 13 hours with an old detective series playing on the laptop. Now I'm lucky if I can do 2 hours before taking a break and breaks are at least 2 -3 hours not just ten minutes.
It's another of those not realising how much stress it's causing until you stop doing it things. I have two things I'm going to finish off for DS1 and his wife (new home sampler and wedding sampler - they got married in September 2018 and moved into their new home in December 2017 but I kept putting these aside in favour of paid projects), one item I've started for Beloved (DS3's gf)  - she knows nothing about it so if I couldn't do more than complete the samplers, I could stop. I also have one not even started which is a pile of chibi Doctor Who figures which might or might not be a shawl/ bedcover for a future grandchild. I also have a cushion which is a thank you to a former counsellor, which has been completed for more than two years and only needs making up into a cushion. 
I'm not pushing myself atm but I need to take advantage of the strong daylight to finish off the delicate work. I would like to get the two samplers made up and posted off (I did a cs dash and found two frames in near perfect sizes before lockdown) before d-i-l' s birthday in early September (I'm so grateful to have seen them and met my new grandpuppy in March but have no idea when I might see them again - 2 long bus journeys to get there). I do get regular pupdates via bookface - the last one was a week ago and was DS1 trying to persuade the puppy to pick a smaller stick to take home, rather than the fallen tree he couldn't even get his jaws round.
So one piece of embroidery at a time (earnings had dropped considerably and weren't high to start with, as I couldn't take on work I didn't know if I would be able to see through to completion) and we will see how it goes. I can't think any further than those few projects. I think I can manage (I'm used to poverty) but I couldn't pay the whole amount owed  (£2770 something) in one go and I don't know how they decide on 'affordable' repayments - the last letter did say they were still considering other matters I'd raised in the letter (my meagre savings are towards repairing the hole in the kitchen ceiling and the missing roof tiles which caused a short on one of the electrical plugs.
I am covered for my pension. I had 33 years when the requirement was 30 years NI contributions (some years paid voluntarily) and then they raised it to 35 years and I found the money to pay two more years contributions. I'll be so rich (in comparison) when I finally get my pension.

f0xh0les

Mothernerd, when those muppets decided I owed them money they took the money out of the amount that they decided I should have been paid  all along.    So I went from £45 a week to £7.20 odd. until it was paid back.. They are not allowed to make a decision that will leave you so little that you cannot afford your day to day living expenses, there is a proper legal term for it, something along the lines of their decision 'not being allowed to cause severe economic hardship' or put you into debt.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Tax-Credits-Overpayments are a lovely user friendly guide to it. 

They say 'an overpayment will not be recovered if it was due to a mistake at the tax credit office and you met all of your responsibilities by reporting changes in circumstances promptly, by checking all award notices and notifying HMRC within one month of any mistakes or errors',  However they are not terribly good at admitting they have made the mistake

They cannot demand you pay them back a lump sum. Tell them to go whistle, and £5 a week is your offer.  That or tell them to  take you to court, but warn them you will advise your solicitor that  £2 a week is all you can afford now that you are too ill to carry on working. They are legally bound to accept any reasonable offer.  Fret not.  Don't let them live rent free in your head.

Today I went off volunteering, came home,made the kids do their homework, and am waiting for my lovely man to finish making tea for me.  Tonight will be watching football on the tv and chillin' out.  My aquafaba meringues were brilliant, crisp but also chewy.  Bliss.  Will make again as they keep well and the kids love them.

Kerry_Woman

NSD 1 today.
Grateful for:
Daily walk.
Mindfulness colouring.
Catching up with a few bits in the flat.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for having a house, for dd enjoying her afternoon in school, for getting a lot for our money in the ch shop, for yummy chicken thighs, for z00m taekwondo.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi all
Had an early unexpected virtual meeting with my boss and hadn't even brushed my hair!  Straight after work went to a distanced meet up with PT colleagues to sort out some items arising from recent changed government guidance.  Been working all eve but i do like my PT role   
gratitudes - supportive PT colleagues; daughters offering to help with some tasks; finally getting my printer to work 
Deni x

ditty1234

Today I am grateful for a duve to hide under, its almost the end of a strange term, and with a lot of insecurity and unsolved dilemmas for after the summer left hanging, both workwise and with financial insecurities as well. Ready for another day tomorrow.